


She doesn't play soccer, but she's a Keeper

by island0fmisfittoys



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff, Football | Soccer, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Klutzy!Clarke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:27:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26795107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/island0fmisfittoys/pseuds/island0fmisfittoys
Summary: Clarke has a chance to work with her University's Womens soccer team, as part of the student trainer/medical staff.It is an amazing opportunity...in more ways than one.
Relationships: Clarke Griffin & Lexa, Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Comments: 98
Kudos: 195





	1. Mornings are not her thing

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!  
> I know, I know...I need to stop starting new fics and finish one of the ones I have started...but I can't help it! I have too many ideas floating around in my head 😂  
> Anywho, had this idea for a while, and last night after my third glass of wine I finally decided to start it 😂  
> Enjoy!

_ 'I don't care what anyone says or how amazing this opportunity will look on my transcript and resume….7am practise should be outlawed! And the fact that the members of the medical/training staff need to be here 30 minutes prior is just...it's just...not fair…' _

Clarke groaned as she raked her right hand down her face. Once her hand reached her chin she closed her eyes, then brought both hands back up and quickly rubbed them up and down her face in a desperate attempt to wake up. Clarke Griffin was many things, however, a morning person she was not.

She leaned forward, balancing both elbows against the cutouts of her cars steering wheel, base of both palms pressed into her eyes. Clarke took a deep breath through her nose. Happily allowing the smell of the coffee in her cup holder to invade her senses, a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips.

Naturally it was at this moment that her two (ex?) best friends decided to bang on her car window. Clarke flinched in surprise, causing both elbows to slide off the steering wheel and her forehead to smack into the car horn. 

At 6:30 in the morning the blaring noise coming from her car was the loudest sound in the vicinity...minus Raven and Octavia's laughter of course. The unexpected and jarring sound sent a nearby group of birds to flight. Which, in turn, caused Raven and Octavia to laugh even harder.

Clarke gently rubbed her forehead before grabbing her coffee and opening her car door, stepping out into the August heat. Which, even this early in the morning and this late in the summer, was sweltering.

_ 'Anyone who thinks Canada is nothing more than year round winter can bite me.' _

Clarke turned around and reached back into her car, grabbing her sunglasses. She clipped them into the v-cut collar of her 'Polis University Student Trainer' polo, before straightening back up and closing the car door. Grumbling,

"You guys are assholes."

Octavia snorted in amusement and Raven simply laughed harder at her friend, bending over clutching at her stomach. The glare Clarke was shooting her friends had less than zero impact on them as they continued to tease her.

"Okay, you know what? For that you can both help me lug all this stuff across the field." 

Octavia chuckled but shrugged her shoulders, moving towards the trunk of the car, ready to start pulling out equipment. Raven glared at her friend, the small twitch at the corner of her mouth showing that she wasn't being 100% serious,

"Or what Princess?"

Clarke looked back at her oldest friend, one eyebrow raised, smirk on her face,

"Or I won't tape your knee Rayes."

Needless to say, within minutes, all three girls were walking across the field together, medical equipment distributed equally amongst them.

Clarke had strapped both Ravens and Octavia's gym bags to the top of the cooler that she was currently pulling across the soccer field. Raven had the bigger supply bag slung over her shoulder, Octavia had the smaller one and was also carrying a portable defibrillator and O2 tank.

The distance from Clarke's car to the far side of the field where the "Medical" tent was set up wasn't too bad. It was just far enough to allow Clarke's mind to wander as she made the trek over. Today was the first day of Polis University Women's Soccer Team's pre-season training camp, and although Clarke loved to complain about the early morning start time, she was truly excited to be there.

The team had twice a day practise everyday, all week 7am to 9am and then 3pm to 5pm with stratagy "in-class" team meetings 12-2pm. She knew that the field practises would most likely take an addition 30 minutes to an hour after their scheduled time to actually finish once you factored in the teams cool down routine. Clarke and the other student trainer were required to be at both field practises but thankfully didn't have to attend the stratagy meetings. What Clarke was going to do with the five-six hour break in between she still hadn't figured out. But considering she hadn't even made it halfway across the field and her eyelids were already starting to droop, the answer seemed obvious.

_ 'Nap maybe' _

It was going to be a long day, considering once you factor in the short commute time to and from the field, Clarke was looking at being up and out of the house from 6:15am until probably 6-6:30pm. Being a second year University student, she was used to long days filled with classes and studying, pulling allnighters and essentially going 24+ hours without sleeping, but this was different. All Clarke knew was that by the time this week was over, she was going to be more exhausted than she had been at the end of her last finals week.

_ 'Maybe I'll upgrade to a large coffee instead of a medium for the rest of the week…' _

Clarke slowed her pace slightly, looking up and scanning the far side of the field looking for Nyko. Nyko was the student trainer from TonDC, the sister school of Polis U. He already had his degree in Kinesiology and was now a third year Athletic Therapy student. Clarke was about to start her second year of her Kinesiology undergrad and was excited that 1) she was chosen for this internship and 2) that Nyko was the other student trainer. He was a big guy, long hair, long beard, covered in tattoos, but he was honestly one of the sweetest guys Clarke had ever met. They met for the first time the week before during the mixer between the two schools. Which had been set up to help introduce the students who would be working together for the rest of the year.

Clarke quickened her pace when she realized that Nyko already had both tables set up, and a player currently sitting on the edge of one of them. Nyko was tapeing her wrist and a line of athletes was already forming behind them.

She knew that practise started at 7am but her and Nyko, as well as any player that needed/wanted to be taped or wrapped needed to be there at 6:30. Clarke just didn't think half the team would need to be taped before their first day even started. 

Raven and Octavia had run ahead and dropped the bags so they could get in line before it got any longer. Clarke could see a couple players coming in from the opposite direction and she could hear the footsteps of at least one more player walking up behind her.

Clarke groaned

_ 'At least eight players already need taping? This is going to be a long season.' _

And it was in that moment that the tip of Clarkes shoe caught the edge of a small divot in the grass. Causing Clarke to pitch forward, eyes wide, a small squeak escaping her lips (one that she would later deny came out of her mouth). Both arms flung out in front of her on instinct, her muscles tensed, braced for the impact of her body slamming into hard, dew covered ground.

But it never came.

Instead, she felt strong arms around her waist, warm hands gripping hips, pulling her back.

"Woah there, can't have our medical team out with injuries before we even get a chance to play"

Clarke chuckled lightly as she righted herself. Twisting around to face the person who saved her from what would have probably been one of the Top Five most humiliating things to ever happen to her. The stranger kept her hands on Clarkes hips but lessened their grip, allowing the blonde to turn around and face her completely.

When Clarke finally did turn around, she froze. Standing in front of her was arguably the most attractive women Clarke had ever laid eyes on.

Standing in front of her, her hands on Clarke's hips was none other than Polis University Women's Soccer Team's Captain.

Standing in front of her was none other than Lexa Woods.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> Got a little short one for you guys 😊

Lexa greeted her with a warm half smile half smirk. 

Lexa was gorgeous, everyone agreed on that, whether they were male, female, gay, straight, or something in between, everyone thought Lexa Woods was stunning. Was it her high cheekbones? Pouty lips? Sharp jawline? Intense yet beautiful green eyes? Or was it simply her general overall level of confidence? Or perhaps a combination of all the above? 

_ 'Definitely the last one' _

But regardless of what it was, Lexa Woods was stunning to everyone.

Clarke was no exception.

Which is probably why she missed it the first time Lexa spoke to her...that and the fact that Lexa's hands were still gently holding onto her hips.

Clarke shook her head, a light blush forming across her cheeks

"Sorry...w-what?"

Lexa's half smile grew, the lines between smile and smirk blurring, yet her features remained soft. 

"I said, it's Clarke right?"

Clarke's eyebrows pinched upwards, eyes wide, surprise flashing over her face,

"Uhh...y-ya!" Clarke coughed once, a feeble attempt to cover up her awkwardness "That...that's me" it didn't work.

Lexa gently squeezed Clarkes hips, causing Clakes cheeks to burn, before removing her hands completely. Clarke had to fight not to frown at the loss of contact. 

Lexa offered her hand while speaking,

"I'm Le-"

"Lexa Woods" Clarke interrupted with a sheepish smile as she shook the offered hand. Lexa's eyes widened for a second before she tilted her head to the side, a look of amusement on her face.

Clarke coughed again,

"I uh..I know who you are.." Clarke dropped her hand and looked down at the grass before looking back up "Raven...Raven introduced us last year" Clarke paused for a second, chewing on her bottom lip, tilting her head back down to the ground "twice actually..."

Lexa tilted her head to the other side while slowly bringing two fingers up, gently pressing against Clarke's chin urging her to look up. Lexa smiled at her softly when she did.

"I remember, I just wasn't sure if you'd remember me"

Clarke let out a huff of disbelief as she rolled her eyes, trying to fight off the smile attempting to make its way onto her face,

"How could anyone forget meeting you"

Lexa's eyebrows shot up, shit eating grin on her face, the same moment the look of disbelief on Clarke's face morphed into one of shock and embarrassment. 

The light pink blush on Clarkes face quickly deepened, her cheeks now flushed. She threw her hand up, pointing behind her with her thumb,

"I uh-" Clarke coughed, then lightly cleared her throat "I...I should go help Nyko...now"

Lexa simply smiled back at her, humming in agreement. Clarke grabbed onto the cooler, turning around and started walking towards the side if the field. Lexa tightened her grip on her backpack and hiked it up as she did a small hop skip to catch up with Clarke,

"Do you want me to pull that for you?"

Clarke glanced at the girl who had now fallen in step beside her. Taking a good look at her profile. Lexa was wearing her hair pulled up into a messy ponytail, her undercut clearly visible, a braid collecting the hair from just above the undercut fed up into the base of the ponytail. Having her hair pulled up off her face just highlighted her sharp features. The way the morning sunlight fell had Lexa's face glowing. It was beautiful. The sight had Clarkes fingers itching to draw the image of the girl beside her. The girl who was very clearly limping. Clarke was quickly pulled from her momentary daydream and frowned slightly.

"Did you injure your hip flexors?"

Lexa shrugged her shoulders,

"I'm fine, nothing I can't push through."

"Your altered gait pattern would suggest otherwise."

Lexa laughed lightly, 

"My what now?"

Clarke chuckled while shaking her head, a smile on her face as she finally reached the other side of the field. She turned to face Lexa and pointed towards the girls right hip as she limped the last few steps to the sideline.

"You're walking funny"

Lexa's brow raised in understanding, as she nodded her head,

"Ah"

Clarke smirked back at her and hummed,

"Mhmm"

Both girls stood there for a second, the awkward silence growing by the second. Clarke chewed her bottom lip before bringing her right hand up to run the back of her neck. She raised her left arm and weakly pointed towards Lexa's hip again,

"Want me to wrap it for you?"

Lexa smiled at her softly and shrugged her shoulders,

"I've never had anything wrapped or taped before" Lexa paused for a second before continuing, a tender look in her eyes, words soft "but if you think it will help I'll give it a shot"

Clarke bent over and started rummaging through one of the supply bags, nodding,

"Awesome! Now….drop your shorts"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks so much for reading!  
> Please feel free to leave a comment a d let me know your thoughts, ideas, guesses for the future! I love hearing from everyone and it definitely motivates me to keep going 😊
> 
> Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> Sorry it's been a minute since I updated this fic, had some trouble getting my thoughts down. But! This is one of the longest chapters I've ever written so hopefully that'll make up for it 😂

Lexa's eyes shot open, eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline as an amused chuckled started in her throat. She watched as the blonde continued digging through one of the bags, brow furrowed, frown on her lips, concentration written in her eyes. Lexa huffed out a light laugh as she shook her head, her signature smirk toying at the corner of her mouth,

"Shouldn't you ask me out to dinner first?"

Clarkes brow pinched together, her nose crinkling in confusion. Her movements slowed for a second as she pulled a tensor bandage and some stretchy tape out of the bag, moving to place them on the grass before pausing and placing them on top of the cooler instead, avoiding the dew covered grass.

Clarkes eyes flicked up to meet Lexa's for half a second before turning her attention back to the bag infront of her, confusion still written across her face. Clarke tilted her head to the side, her attention mostly focused on the bag.

"Sorry?"

The left corner of Lexa's mouth curled upwards, smirk quickly forming. She breathed out a soft laugh while shaking her head,

"Most girls have to take me to dinner first before I 'drop my shorts'" Lexa used air quotes even though Clarke wasn't looking at her. Lexa watched as the double meaning behind Clarkes words finally clicked for the blonde.

Lexa watched as Clarkes normally pale skin started to turn pink and then red with embarrassment. The blush starting across the small amount of her chest that was visible thanks to the V-neck Clarke was wearing, and it rapidly moved up the girls neck, across her cheeks and settled on the tips of her ears.

"S-sorry...I...I didn't...I d-didn't mean…"

Clarke's eyes were fixed on the patch of grass in front of her knees. The blades of grass bent, being pushed forward by her knees. She focused on the dampness slowly seeping in through her pants as she tightened her hands into fists against her thighs. 

Clarke watched as a shadow appeared in front of her and before she knew it, her chin was tenderly being guided upwards, until her eyes contacted with Lexa's. Lexa had a concerned yet thoughtful look on her face, but her smile was soft.

"I'm sorry Clarke, I...it was a bad joke and i shouldn't have said it. I apologize for making you uncomfortable."

Lexa quickly stepped back, and started kicking off her sandals, her thumbs hooked in the waistband of her shorts,

"So, how do you want me?"

Clarke's face was on fire, she could feel the heat radiating off her skin and she was sure she probably resembled a tomato. Lexa's question rang inside her head,

_ ' "How do you want me?" ' _

Clarke swallowed thickly,

_ 'Loaded question' _

Clarke took a deep breath in through her nose while sucking her bottom lip between her teeth. She ducked her head down and she busied herself with getting the last few items she needed out of the bag. She took her time, moving slowly, secretly hoping to buy herself some time and that her blush would fade by the time she looked back at Lexa.

Her plan worked. 

For all of two seconds.

When she looked back up Lexa was busying shimmying out of her shorts. Clarke watched as they slowly slid down over the girls compression shorts, Clarke could see the muscles underneath flexing as she moved. The shorts pooled at Lexa's ankles and she quickly stepped out if them with one leg and used the other to fling them off to the side, landing onto of her sandals.

Clarke stole a glance up to Lexa's face and was not at all surprised to see the girls signature smirk once again resting on her lips. Clarke's cheeks were burning. She tilted her head back down towards the grass and took a deep breath while not so subtlety shaking her head. Desperate to dislodge the images of Lexa's thighs from her mind. She cleared her throat and then tilted back up to look at Lexa. Her smirk was gone, replaced with a gentle smile. 

Clarke motioned for lexa to step closer,

"Right leg forward. Kind of in a lunge position."

Lexa complied, moving her right foot forward before shifting her weight and sliding her left leg farther backwards, elongating her stance. She tilted her head to the side, a warm questioning look on her face,

"Like this?"

Clarke gave her a quick smile before nodding her head and humming her approval,

"Mhmm"

Clarke picked up an almost finished roll of zinc tape off the cooler and twirled it between her fingers before turning her attention back to Lexa.

"So I don't know where our heel lift went." She paused while biting the inside of her cheek. "But this should work just the same" Clarke said while fiddling with the tape in her hand, motioning towards Lexa's right foot.

"Lift your heel up a little for me please" Lexa did as asked and Clarke placed the tape roll under her heel.

Clarke smiled,

"Perfect. Now just bend forward at the waist slightly"

Lexa did as she was told, before she could bend forward too far Clarke brought both hands up and gently gripped the other girls hips. 

"There that's good."

Lexa felt her cheeks heat up at having the Blondes hands on her hips. Thankfully Clarke quickly removed her hands while telling Lexa not to move.

Clarke grabbed the tensor off the cooler and wrapped it once around Lexa's right thigh.

_ 'Not too tight, not too loose. An anchor point.' _

"Can you hold this here for me for a sec?" 

Clarke asked while lifting her head up to look and Lexa and while softly tapping her finger against the tensor. Clarke could have sworn she saw the light pink dusting of a blush across Lexa's cheeks.

_ 'Get a grip Griffin. No way in hell Lexa Woods is blushing because of you.' _

Lexa nodded and Clarke found herself blushing as Lexa's warm fingers ghosted over her own to hold the tensor in place. Clarke cleared her throat and started pulling the band up and across the girls hips, making sure to keep it tight, pushing herself up farther onto her knees as she did. Whispering a soft,

"Thanks"

Clarke cleared her throat again as she wrapped the tensor around the back of the other girls hips, making sure to back off on tension in the band slightly, snaking her left hand around Lexa's right side in order to pass the tensor from her right to her left and pull the tensor the rest of the way around. Her breathing caught in the back of her throat as she pushed herself up farther onto her knees, her face inches away from Lexa's stomach, and what she imagined to be picture perfect abs. She quickly passed the band back to her right hand as she brought it down and wrapped it over and then around the back of Lexa's thigh, moving herself back down to sit on her heels as she did. She pulled the band around making sure to make a nice crisscross pattern before starting the process over again.

"So...u-umm...how'd you hurt yourself anyway?"

Lexa's blush had come back full force when Clarke had wrapped her arms around her hips. Lexa thanked every deity she knew that Clarke had kept her head down and didn't notice. But now she felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment, she squirmed and her blush deepened when Clarke gently squeezed her hips, silently telling her to stand still.

Lexa licked her now dry lips and swallowed thickly before speaking,

"Umm...well…"

Clarke looked up and smiled at the flustered look on Lexa's face. Lexa sighed and her shoulders drooped slightly. Normally she would joke around and laugh and say she pulled something while bedding one of the  _ many  _ girls she had fawning over her. But she didn't want to do that with Clarke...so she settled for simply telling the truth...no matter how embarrassing that was.

"Anya, my cousin and the goalie," Lexa nodded towards the girl who was hoping off the table near Nyko, bright white zinc tape clearly visible around her wrist. "She asked me to practice a bit last night…" Lexa laughed and shook her head before smiling and looking down at Clarke "let's just say competitiveness runs in the family."

Clarke smiled at the sound of Lexa's laugh, tilting her head up to look at Lexa, and then immediately squinting as the rays of sun shone directly into her eyes. Clarke laughed lightly and tapped her fingers on the tensor bandage around Lexa's thigh,

"Hold this a sec?"

Lexa smiled and nodded while sliding her hand down, pressing the loose end tight against her thigh. Clarke quickly turned and grabbed the roll of stretchy tape before turning back and wrapping it once around Lexa's thigh. She nodded, indicating that it was okay for Lexa to let go before continuing the same wrapping pattern around Lexa's thigh and hips. After three full progressions the "loose" end of the tensor was completely covered in stretchy tape. Clarke smiled to herself as she tore the tape and secured those edges with a few pieces of zinc tape. She moved back to sit on her heels and nodded her head at her wrapping job,

_ 'Textbook. Perfect' _

Clarke pushed herself back up onto her feet, flinching slightly as she felt warm tender fingers wrap around her bicep and help pull her up. Lexa dropped her hand like she had been burned, the second she felt Clarke flinch,

"Sorry"

Clarke had a shocked look on her face but recovered quickly, shaking her head, a warm smile on her lips,

"No, no. I'm-i'm sorry. Just-"

Clarke rubbed her hands up and down her arms,

"Caught me off gaurd"

Clarke shot Lexa another smile before nodding towards the sideline,

"Jog a bit and let me know how it feels"

Lexa hesitated for a second before nodding and taking off, jogging a few steps before turning around and coming back to Clarke. A huge toothy grin on her face,

"Clarke! This feels amazing!"

She hopped up and down twice before bending over to grab her shorts. She quickly pulled them up and slipped her sandals back on before moving closer towards Clarke, grin still plastered across her face,

"Thank you Clarke"

They way Lexa clicked the 'k' in her name had Clarke's heart fluttering, her mouth suddenly dry. 

"Anytime...Lexa." Clarke blushed, tucking some fly aways back behind her ears before giving Lexa a shy smile. "Come see me after practice and I'll get you some ice"

Lexa chuckled as she moved over to one of the benches and started switching out of her sandles and into her keys.

"I don't need ice Clarke"

Clarke raised an eyebrow at Lexa as she watched her quickly tie up her shoes, her fingers moving diligently and quickly.

_ 'Fuck she has long fingers.' _

Clarke coughed as she  _ quickly _ pushed that thought down.

_ 'Not going to happen, don't even go there. She...she would never be interested in you like that' _

"Your strain is mild right now, if it gets worse…" Clarle sighed "a bad hip flexor injury can have you on the sideline for weeks"

Lexa laughed as she finished tieng up her laces. She stood up and faced Clarke, hands up in defeat, chuckling and smiling warmly,

"Gotcha, I'll see you later for some ice Clarke"

Lexa started walking backwards before, hoping and spinning around before taking off towards the other end of the field, shouting another another thank you over her shoulder as she did.

And Clarke just watched, a dopey smile on her face.

"So what, because she's the Captain she gets to skip the line?"

Clarke's brow furrowed in confusion as she turned around towards the voice. Behind her stood two other team members, one with dirty blonde hair and the the other with jet black hair. 

Clarke cocked her head to the side,

"Sorry?-"

"You should be"

Clarke's eyes widened, her eyebrows shooting upwards in shock at the blondes words. Her heart hammering in her chest. Clarke opened and closed her mouth before speaking

"I-i didn't think-"

The girl with dirty blonde hair snorted,

"Clearly. So what? She's the Captain and doesn't have to wait like the rest of us? How is that fair?"

Clarkes heart rate was increasing, her heart pounding in her chest. Clarke did not do well with confrontation.

"I-i"

The girl infront of her rolled her eyes and let out and exasperated sigh,

"Looks like we got the last pick when it came to trainers...jesus."

Clarke tilted her head forward towards the ground, a familiar prickling starting in the corners of her eyes, she vaguely heard the sound of foot steps behind her.

"Come on Nia, you and I both know that there isn't enough tape on earth to make you a halfway decent soccer player. Besides, it is common knowledge that first string gets taped first….which you are not"

Clarke lifted her head up in time to see the blonde infront of her cleanch her jaw, muscles popping as she sneered at whoever was walking up behind her. Nia nudged the girl beside her and they walked away, shooting Clarke a glare as they did.

_ 'If looks could kill." _

Clarke spun around and came face to face to a smirking Anya,

_ 'Clearly competitiveness isn't the only thing that runs in their family' _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks so much for reading!  
> Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you thought! I love getting your feedback 😊
> 
> Also open to suggestions for things you'd like to see happen in this fic or any of my other ones 😊

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thanks so much for reading!  
> Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you thought!
> 
> I'm torn between having Lexa and Clarke already kinda know each other and having them be basically strangers...most of my fics they don't know each other/have zero previous history so I'm tempted to change things up a bit with this one...what do you guys think? 😊  
> Don't have a ton planned out for this other than a general idea so suggestions and ideas are welcome 😊
> 
> Until next time 😊


End file.
